A Countess for Grantham
by ladyofeverything
Summary: The young Earl of Grantham needs to marry an heiress to save his estate. A story of how Robert met Cora.
1. Chapter 1

Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham. The title sounded fine, to be sure, and the young Earl was every bit as proud of it as any family duty and honor would require him to be. But it had not been long after the death of his esteemed father that Robert had begun to feel the weight that had landed on his shoulders with everything he had inherited and, to some extent, failed to inherit. He had the title and he had the magnificent estate with a full, well trained staff. What he did not have was the money to keep running the house in a way the world had become accustomed to – in short, in a way that was suitable and expected of an Earl.

With careful economy and by letting go of some of the staff, it would perhaps have been possible to remain in possession of the house at least for some years, but what then? Robert had no wish to be remembered as the Earl of Grantham who let down the family estate.

No, whatever the personal costs, he would have to secure the continuity of his estate, and the way in which to secure it now seemed quite clear to him. All he needed was to marry an heiress.

Robert knew the notion was unromantic, but he knew equally well that he could not afford romance. The best he could hope for was to find a woman of fortune who would not be completely lacking in personal charm. Being reasonably handsome and well aware of the attention his mere title would bring, Robert felt fairly confident he would be able to bring about a match that suited himself well enough. The rest, he hoped, would come with time.

Once his mind was settled on the course of action that was necessary, Robert disclosed his plans to Sir Henry, who was one of the young Earl's closest friends. Much like Robert, Sir Henry had inherited his title early in life, but unlike Robert, his title had come with a considerable fortune, making it easy for him to enjoy the benefits of his situation without much restraint.

"A wife, really?" said Sir Henry with some doubt in his voice as the two young men sat down for port at their preferred gentlemen's club in London. "Already?" Sir Henry himself had no intention of marrying or settling down in the foreseeable future.

"I'm afraid I must," said Robert, staring at his drink. "Downton needs a mistress."

"A wealthy mistress?" Sir Henry prompted.

"As wealthy as can be if I am to keep the estate running as it should," Robert replied with a sigh.

"And do you have anyone in mind?"

"I was hoping you could help me there." Robert blushed slightly. "You know I don't come to London as much as you do, and I am not as well aware of the ins and outs of who is the most eligible."

"Well, there is always the Honourable Miss Winton," Sir Henry offered. "She is plain but she does have both money and family."

Robert sighed. He already knew Miss Winton – a proud, disagreeable woman with money and connections but absolutely nothing else to recommend her with. It was well known that the reason she remained unmarried was that no one of her own rank would have her, and her father would never allow her to marry beneath herself.

Seeing Robert's expression, Sir Henry chuckled.

"So not quite that desperate yet?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I should hope I shall never be that desperate," Robert groaned, downing his drink.

"Miss Eastbridge then?"

"Are you even trying?" Robert gave Sir Henry an exasperated look. Miss Eastbridge and the Honorable Miss Winton could have been separated at birth. "I was rather hoping you could help me avoid precisely the ones you have just mentioned."

Sir Henry laughed heartily. "I was just trying to ascertain how far you were willing to go," he replied merrily.

"Not quite that far, thank you," said Robert grumpily. "Not unless I absolutely must."

Eventually Sir Henry grew more serious, seeing that his friend was in earnest.

"If you really are determined," he finally said. "Then the best advice I can give you is to look across the pond to America."

"America?" Robert repeated. "I don't think I am in a position to leave everything and…"

"No, no, I meant figuratively," Sir Henry cut in, grinning. "You need not go further than the finest circles of London to find an abundance of American heiresses come in Britain to find suitable husbands with handsome titles. Some of them are very pretty and all are remarkably wealthy."

Robert still looked at his friend with suspicion.

"But Americans," he said. "Surely…"

"They are people just like we are," said Sir Henry lightly. "If I was inclined to marry I might as well choose one of them."

"Really now?"

"Absolutely," Sir Henry nodded. "You must come with me to Lady Cotworth's party tomorrow night if you want to make your move. I am told that at least the Strausses and Levinsons will be there."

"Strausses and Levinsons?"

"Mr and Mrs Strauss have been in town all winter with their daughter Elizabeth and I have been told that a Mrs Levinson has only recently arrived with her daughter Cora after spending the winter in Paris. I hardly need to tell you that both girls stand to inherit a considerable fortune."

"Be as it may, I'm not quite sure if…" Robert began hesitantly. The thought of marrying a foreigner had not even occurred to him before. At the very least, he was certain his mother would never approve.

"Oh for heaven's sake old chap," Sir Henry cried. "At least come and be introduced. You will not be required to make a marriage proposal on the spot if neither of the girls pleases you."

"I suppose you are right," Robert sighed, pouring himself another drink. "I suppose you are right."

"So I will see you tomorrow at Lady Cotworth's?"

"Yes," said Robert, his mind made up. "I will see you there."


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews! They always mean a great deal. :) _

* * *

Hardly knowing what to expect of the evening, Robert dressed for Lady Cotworth's ball with great care, taking more than his usual time in front of the mirror with his valet. When he finally arrived at the scene of the party, he was surprised to find that almost everyone else who could possibly have been expected to arrive was already there.

At least the dancing had not yet begun.

Taking a deep, calming breath Robert entered the house and, after greeting Lady Cotworth, set out to find Sir Henry. The task proved to be an easy one as Robert could hear the familiar voice of his friend almost instantly upon entering the ballroom. A further glance around helped him locate the source of the sound close to the fireplace at the other end of the room. Sir Henry appeared to be deep in conversation with an older gentleman Robert could not recall meeting before.

Judging it best to join the two, Robert made his way across the room and, once at a comfortable distance, cleared his throat to make his presence known.

"Robert!" Sir Henry exclaimed. "I was beginning to think you had changed your mind about coming."

"No, no," Robert replied hastily. "I – I had some business to attend to that took more time than I had anticipated," he quickly made up an excuse. It would not do to admit he had spent an extra half hour trying to decide which coat to wear.

"Well, you are here now," Sir Henry said, giving him a brotherly pat on the back. "And your timing is excellent as I was just conversing here with Mr Strauss," he continued, giving Robert a pointed look while performing the introduction. "Mr Strauss, please allow me to introduce you to Lord Grantham, one of my oldest friends."

The introduction was made and proper pleasantries exchanged on both sides, and for a moment Robert joined to conversation to further his acquaintance with Mr Strauss. Even as they talked, however, his eye kept wandering around the room, trying to find out if the rest of the Strauss family where anywhere nearby. At length she saw an opulent looking middle-aged woman, with perhaps more wealth than true elegance, standing not far from Robert with a younger lady of whom he could only see the back. Robert was quite certain he did not know either of the ladies and was preparing to ask Mr Strauss if he had arrived with any family when the man himself exclaimed:

"Ah, here comes my wife Agatha and our daughter Elizabeth."

Robert turned to look and found that another middle-aged lady and a younger woman were approaching them from the opposite direction.

"Sir Henry, Lord Grantham," said Mr. Strauss eagerly. "Please allow me to introduce my wife and daughter, Mrs. Strauss and Miss Elizabeth Strauss."

Again greetings and pleasantries were exchanged. Miss Strauss, Robert soon observed, was a fine looking young lady most likely in her early 20s. He would not have declared her an absolute beauty, but there was certainly nothing wrong with her appearance either. She spoke very little, however, making it difficult for Robert to form a proper opinion of her.

Her parents, on the other hand, seemed very keen to advance the acquaintance and it seemed to Robert that should he choose to pay his addresses to Miss Strauss, he would meet no opposition from the family. On the contrary, he was quite certain they would have been delighted to have either himself or Sir Henry court their daughter and, if Robert was any judge of behaviour, he was certain their pointed attention was directed more towards himself. Of course, it was an easy supposition to make. Sir Henry, while blessed with a respectable family and title was, nevertheless, only a Baronet. A Baronet next to an Earl was almost nothing.

When the dancing finally began, Robert felt obliged to ask for Miss Strauss's hand for the first set, after receiving a number of meaningful looks from his friend. As he led the young lady to the dance floor, he could not help glancing again in the direction where he had moments ago seen the other pair of ladies, but he could now only see the older of the two discussing with another woman of her own age. The younger woman, Robert concluded, must have been asked to dance. He returned his attention to Miss Strauss.

"So, Miss Strauss," he began as they took their first steps on the dance floor. "How do you find London?"

"I like it very much, Sir," she said blushing. Robert briefly considered correcting her manner of addressing him but then thought better of it. Clearly, if she was ever to be made the Countess of Grantham she would have to learn a great deal, but it did not have to start now. In fact, based on first impressions alone, Robert had to admit he did not find himself very keen on Miss Strauss. During their dance together, he made several attempts at conversation, but only received short responses and very little to give anything away of her real thoughts or opinions, if she possessed had any. She seemed like a sweet girl and willing to please, but there was very little else to go on.

When Robert tried to picture himself with her at Downton, he sighed. Was this how it was going to be? The decision to marry for money had come easily to him, but now that he had set about fulfilling that plan, the idea was already beginning feel quite distasteful to him.

At the end of the dance he escorted the young lady back to her parents and excused himself. It would not do to show one lady too much attention before he was sure she was the one he wished to marry. The last thing he wanted was to evoke unwarranted gossip or expectations.

Sir Henry was quick to follow Robert.

"Well?" he asked expectantly once they had made it out of earshot. "How did you like Miss Strauss?"

"She seems like a sweet girl," Robert said without much enthusiasm.

"Not love at first sight then?" Sir Henry asked in a teasing tone. He still seemed rather amused by Robert's venture to find himself a wife.

Robert sighed. "No, but you know love is not what I'm looking for."

"Then what's the problem? You say she was sweet and she certainly is rich. You could do much worse, as I believe we established yesterday."

"Then I why do I feel I should do better?" Robert asked, exasperated. "There is something about Miss Strauss that makes it hard to form an opinion. Either she is shy or she has been taught by her parents only to agree with everything any possible suitors might say."

At this, Sir Henry laughed. "You are after their money," he said in response to Robert's questioning look. "Why should you care if they are after your title and family estate?"

Robert blushed. Sir Henry was only too right. "It's not that," he argued. "I do not mind if they want my title, but if I am to marry someone, I would at least like to know beforehand that it is someone I can have a conversation with or our days at Downton will be very dull indeed. Surely that's not too much ask? Besides," Robert continued. "I would have to be certain that she could manage Downton as the lady of the house."

Sir Henry did not reply. He hardly seemed to have heard what Robert said, and when Robert followed his gaze he soon understood why. The young lady whose back Robert had seen earlier had returned to her previous position, and from where he now stood, he could finally see her properly.

It was no wonder if even Sir Henry was taken by her, for there was something strangely captivating about the woman's appearance. She had a pretty face, framed by dark curls creating a striking contrast against her pale porcelain skin, and if that was not enough to make an impression, her eyes seemed to be the most fascinating shade of blue Robert had ever seen. And she looked young, very young. Robert doubted she could yet be 20.

"Upon my word," he heard Sir Henry say next to him. "I believe that has to be Miss Levinson. I had heard her described a beauty but I was not expecting to find the assessment to be so correct."

"I will not argue with you there, Henry" replied Robert, his eyes still fixed on the young lady. "But she looks quite young."

"I will go talk to Lady Cotworth," said Sir Henry without paying much attention to Robert. "She will be able to make the introduction."

As Sir Henry set off in search of Lady Cotworth, Robert decided to stay put, judging such rash actions to be beneath his dignity. If an introduction was to be made, there would be plenty of time for it later. Just as he was about to look away, however, the young lady herself suddenly glanced in his direction, as if sensing a pair of eyes upon herself. Their eyes met briefly but, not one to be caught staring, Robert quickly looked elsewhere - and rarely had he examined a tapestry with as keen an interest as he did the piece on the wall next to him for the following minutes.

Once Robert could be satisfied that no one could possibly imagine him to be staring at anyone any longer, he decided to move to an altogether safer location and help himself to some refreshments in the adjacent room. He had only enjoyed his escape for a short moment, however, when he suddenly found himself addressed by a woman he could not recognize.

"I believe you were staring at my daughter just now," the woman said in a distinctly American accent. As Robert looked at her more closely, he soon realized she was the same woman who had earlier stood with who he now had reason to believe to be Miss Levinson.

"I – I assure you, Madam, that I was not…staring," he replied haltingly. There was something unnerving about the frank manner of her speech that Robert was not accustomed to.

The woman smiled at him, seemingly amused. "Now, now, it is not crime to stare," she said.

"Indeed, Madam, I – ", Robert began, but he was interrupted.

"Martha Levinson," said the woman, extending her hand.

Robert was taken aback by such familiarity and forwardness from such a complete stranger but, unable to see a polite way out, he took her offered hand, pressed it lightly and bowed.

"Lord Grantham," he said, "Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Levinson."

"Oh, a Lord now?" Mrs. Levinson said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, well."

To Robert's relief, they were at that moment interrupted by the appearance of a third person, but the relief turned out to be short lived as Robert suddenly found himself face to face with the daughter they had just spoken of.

"Mama, here you are," she exclaimed before noticing Robert. When their eyes met, she stopped on her tracks, and for a moment they both remained silent while Mrs. Levinson appeared to draw some amount of personal amusement out of their discomfort. Finally she took pity of the two.

"Cora, dear," she said warmly, pulling her daughter closer. "I believe you should say hello to Lord Grantham. Have I not impressed upon you that these kind of staring contents simply will not do around here?"

Robert, at that moment realizing his own lack of proper decorum, immediately bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you Miss," he said politely.

"Miss Levinson," she said, curtseying. "And the pleasure is all mine, I assure you, Lord Grantham."


	3. Chapter 3

If Cora Levinson had appeared to be a vision of beauty from afar, her looks were by no means diminished on closer inspection. Perhaps she lacked something of the refined grace of a true English gentlewoman, but where elegance failed, something about her personal charm stepped in to make up for it. Robert found himself particularly mesmerized by her pair of pale blue eyes which, despite the seemingly icy colour, seemed to radiate warmth and good humour.

Eager to get away from the unnerving mother, Robert did not hesitate to ask Miss Levinson's hand for the next dance.

"If Mrs. Levinson does not mind, of course," he added politely, bowing in the direction of the mother.

"Oh, by all means," she said lifting up her hands. "No need to stand on so much ceremony on my account."

Relieved, Robert led Miss Levinson away. They had hardly made it out of the earshot of her mother, when she addressed him:

"Lord Grantham, please allow me to apologize on behalf of my mother. For someone not used to her frankness, her behaviour may appear a little shocking, but I assure you she does not mean to offend."

"I would not dream of being offended," Robert replied politely, pleased that the weight of having to start a conversation had been lifted off his shoulders. His years of learning proper behaviour for all social occasions had sadly overlooked the instance of having to entertain a young American lady with an eccentric mother.

Miss Levinson smiled. "I am glad to hear it," she said.

"Have you been staying in London for long?" Robert asked after a short pause, eager to change the subject.

"Not long, no," his dance partner replied. "We spent the winter in Paris and have only been here for two weeks now."

"Then I should not ask how you like London," Robert said, starting to feel a little more at ease. "I fear this time of year would not do us justice against Paris."

Miss Levinson smiled. "Then perhaps I shall not give you my opinion yet," she replied with a tone of mischief. "Or is it too forward of me to suppose we will meet again before the end of my stay?"

"That would probably depend on the length of your stay," Robert replied diplomatically. He had a distinct suspicion he was being flirted with, but the forwardness of it was something he was not quite accustomed to.

"We'll stay until October, most likely."

"I am glad to hear it," said Robert, mentally counting the months he would have to mull over his decision, should he choose to continue his attentions towards Miss Levinson. "I mean, you will get to see England at its best in the summer," he hastened to add before his words could be misconstrued. "Are you going to see much of the countryside?"

"Our plans are not quite firmly settled yet, but I would like to see it," Miss Levinson admitted, smiling at Robert again. "I hear only great things about it."

They had hit upon a subject that was near and dear to Robert's heart.

"You will hear nothing but great things from me either," he said, thinking of Downton with its woods and groves, and the gardens that blossomed in the summer. "I would not exchange the English countryside for anything."

"Then I will not stop pestering Mama until I have seen it," the young lady replied with a smile. "Is there a particular county where we might best enjoy the beauties of England?"

"Each county has its merits but you will find that my loyalty lies with Yorkshire. I will freely admit my partiality, but to me it is the best place in the whole world."

Miss Levinson raised her eyebrows. "I take it you are from Yorkshire, then?"

"I am, yes," Robert replied, wondering if he had been carried away too far in promoting his own county. "But I should not give you the impression that you would have to travel all the way to Yorkshire to see beauty. Perhaps you have already heard of Kent described as the Garden of England?"

"I may only have stayed here for two weeks, but I believe I have heard many of my new acquaintance claim that title for their own county", Miss Levinson said archly. "You are the first one who hasn't and I might have thought you modest if you had not just called Yorkshire the best place in the whole world."

Robert blushed slightly. "I believe we Englishmen are rather fond of our own lands," he said with a hint of defensiveness.

"Oh, I am sure you have every right to be," his partner assured him with a gentle smile. "I was only teasing."

They kept discussing the merits of the English countryside throughout the dance and before Robert could even tell how the conversation had got there, he found himself describing the village of Downton with great enthusiasm and detail. When the music stopped, he was sorry for the conversation to end, but as he led Miss Levinson back to her mother, it occurred to him that while she had learned a great deal about him and his way of living, he had not learned the first thing about her. All he could conclude based on their discussion was that she was certainly not unintelligent, and that her manners were not hopeless even though they were more forward than what he personally felt comfortable with. Manners, however, were something that could always be polished. At least he hoped they could.

In short, as Robert left the Levinsons behind, his mind was in great turmoil. Could Cora Levinson be the heiress he was looking for? His eyes scanned the room for a sight of the Strausses. He had certainly liked Mr. and Mrs. Strauss more than he had liked Mrs. Levinson, but he had to remind himself it was no the parents he was intending to marry. With any luck, he would hardly have to see them as they would be living in America while he and his wife would be settled in Downton.

His wife. Robert shook his head. Somehow the thought seemed absurd. He knew nothing about the girl he was trying to picture as the Countess of Grantham. Perhaps if she was English, he could have contemplated the matter with less concern. Marriages of convenience were, after all, not uncommon among his peers. Great families and fortunes had been united over and over again throughout the history of his ancestors. But to marry an American and bring her to Downton? No American had ever called Downton their home.

As the music started again, Robert glanced back to where he had left Miss Levinson just in time to see Sir Henry lead her out to the dance floor. It appeared his friend had successfully sought the introduction he had set out to get. Absentmindedly Robert's eyes followed the pair as they took to the dance, observing how much to her advantage Miss Levinson appeared on the floor.

_"That is Miss Cora Levinson, I believe_." Robert's ears registered the mention of the very name that was occupying his own thoughts. The voice had come from somewhere behind his back, but he resisted the urge to show any interest in the conversation that was taking place.

_"An American,"_ he heard another voice say with a hint of disapproval.

_"Aye,"_ said the first voice. _"But the men are wild about her. Mark my words, she will be engaged by the end of the season."_

_"Wild about her or her fortune?"_

The voices moved forward and Robert was left uncomfortably adjusting his coat while trying to shake the feeling of dissatisfaction that the words had caused. The disdain towards Miss Levinson being an American was one thing, but what he had not taken into account at all was the possibility of actually having to rival for her attention. He had been satisfied after their dance that he would have months to get to know her better and then make his decision, but perhaps that would not be the case after all.

Before the evening was over, Robert had made his plan. He would write to his man Stephens the first thing tomorrow morning and ask him to make some inquiries regarding the Levinson family. At the very least he needed to know how much the family was worth and what Miss Levinson's share of the fortune might be in marriage. There seemed to be little time to waste, but there could be no question of courting her before he could be certain that her money would be enough to secure Downton's future.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. I know this is a bit of slow burner, but I hope you enjoy. :)_

* * *

Mrs. Levinson had rented a large house in Belgrave Square, having been assured the area was a fashionable one and within a reasonable distance from anything or anyone she and her daughter might wish to see in London. During their first two weeks in town there had indeed scarcely been a morning where the mother and daughter had not been either out visiting or in receiving visitors from both their new neighbours and Mrs. Levinson's old acquaintances. The morning after Lady Cotworth's ball, however, brought a change to their recently established routine.

One look out of the window as she entered the breakfast room, told Cora that today there was not likely to be much entertainment from the outside world. The rain she had been warned about before entering England had arrived during the night and seemed now to cover everything with a grey, wet blanket that only few would dare to challenge.

It was an uninspiring sight, to be sure, but when she settled down to read a book after breakfast, Cora found she did not really mind the change. She enjoyed social calls as much as any young woman of her age, but after two solid weeks of being the center of everyone's attention and being introduced to more eligible men than she could even name, the idea of solitude definitely had its perks.

Her mother, however, took to the altered weather with less excitement.

"This is the London I remember," said Mrs. Levinson dramatically as she joined Cora some time later in the drawing room. "Endless rain."

"But Mama, we've had beautiful weather for two whole weeks," Cora reminded her, looking up from the book she had picked up. "It had to rain eventually."

"I'm glad you have adapted that attitude, darling," her mother said dryly, moving over to pat Cora's shoulder. "You will need it when you are married and settled here."

"Mama…"

"There's no need to blush about it. Someone is going to marry you for your money so we might as well make sure it's someone with a fancy title and a country estate." Mrs. Levinson paused to think of all the partners her daughter had had the previous night. "How about that young Viscount?" she asked. "Or the Earl? Poor fellow looked rather frightened."

"Lord Grantham?" Cora suggested, her cheeks colouring slightly. She remembered the Earl very well. "I liked him. He was not so condescending as most of his equals I have met."

Mrs. Levinson raised her eyebrow. "So he didn't try to impress you with the history of his family and peerage?"

"He did talk a great deal about his lands in Yorkshire," Cora had to admit, "but you should have heard him speak. It wasn't at all conceited like when Lord Maddox described his seat in Sussex last week. I think Lord Grantham genuinely loves his home and all the lands that surround it."

"Of course he does, darling," replied Mrs. Levinson. "It all belongs to him, after all."

Cora felt her mother had missed the point, but did not wish to argue about it. She tried to turn her attention back to her book, but her mother's eyes were sharper than she had expected.

"Cora dear," she said when her daughter picked up her book again without saying another word. "Surely you did not take a fancy to him after just one dance?"

"Of course not," Cora replied without meeting her mother's eyes. "I only said I liked him."

Mrs. Levinson looked at her for a moment, a frown creasing her forehead.

"Just be careful, child," she finally said. "You should not give him your heart if it's only your money he wants."

* * *

As the days passed and Robert remained in town, his path did not cross the Levinsons again, but he heard many whispers and rumours about the American families that had arrived for the season. It was widely known that they all were rich but it was equally well understood that as people they were of lesser worth than any of the old and dignified English families they wanted to socialize with. Robert felt uneasy in the knowledge that if he were to marry an American, his choice would be frowned upon by many, but the thought of Downton and what he owed to his legacy was enough to keep him focused.

A week after the ball at Lady Cotworth's, he had his first more reliable intelligence from his solicitor Mr. Stephens.

The Levinsons, he was able to tell Robert, were a family of considerable wealth from the Midwestern part of the United States, but notable also in the social circles of New York where they held a large townhouse. Miss Levinson had one brother who was the heir to their father's business as well as to a lion's share of the family fortune, but even so, Miss Levinson herself stood to inherit a great deal of money that would come to her possession when her father died or when she married, whichever would occur first. The money and its interest would be more than enough to save Downton, not only for Robert but for his future children as well.

"That is very good news indeed," Robert said once Stephens had finished laying out the information he had gathered. "Is there anything you can tell me about the family in general?" he asked after digesting the first flood of information.

"Not very much, My Lord," Stephens said, shaking his head. "By all accounts they appear to be a respectable family. That is, as respectable as can be expected in the circumstances. But they seem to have risen to wealth only quite recently, and their money comes from trade, My Lord," he finished, lowering his voice as if the mere mention of trade would bring shame to his master's house.

Robert sighed. This, of course, he had expected.

"And do you have any information regarding which form of trade they engage in?" he asked patiently.

"Dry goods, my Lord," Stephens replied. "Or so I have been told. It was Miss Lenvinson's grandfather who started the business and her father who built it to what it is now. What the family was before then, I could not gather."

"Thank you, Stephens," Robert said, running a hand through his hair. _Dry goods,_ he thought with exasperation. What was he getting himself into? "That will be all for now," he said out loud, signalling that the meeting was over.

Stephens began walking out, but at the door he paused. "Will you be needing anything else, My Lord?" he asked.

"No," Robert began to say, but then quickly changed his mind. "I mean, yes," he corrected himself, his decision made. "Not at the moment, but your assistance may be needed to draw up some legal documents later."

"May I ask of what kind, My Lord?"

"I will speak of it another time," Robert said, already thinking of his next move. "Please tell Mr. Harris I would like to change now."

"Very well, My Lord."

As Stephens left, Robert began pacing the room impatiently, waiting for his valet to arrive. Perhaps it was a desperate and rash decision, but at least the path ahead of him finally seemed clear. As soon as he had changed, he would call on the Levinsons and see if he might be able to place his future hopes at the mercy of a young Cora Levinson, from the Midwestern part of the United States.


	5. Chapter 5

As Robert's carriage pulled up in front of the house he had been informed belonged to the Levinsons, he felt nervous, almost as if he was once again a schoolboy arriving for his very first year at Eton. He hardly knew what to expect or how he would be received. He thought well enough of himself and his position to have every reason to believe he would be a welcome suitor, but it was the manner of the reception that concerned him, especially when it came to the vulgarity of Mrs. Levinson. In fact, as Robert gave his name and card to the footman at the door, he sincerely hoped to find only the daughter at home.

He was, however, out of luck. Neither the mother nor the daughter were at home and, unwilling to stay and wait, Robert had to settle for leaving without having achieved anything. As it was the first sunny day in nearly a week, he decided to send his carriage home without him and set off to walk towards the park to clear his mind.

He had not walked long before his eyes caught the sight of a young lady walking towards him from the direction he was himself heading. Tall and slender, her dark hair arranged in neat curls beneath a fashionable hat, Robert quickly recognized the lady as Miss Levinson herself.

"Miss Levinson," he called out as soon as she had arrived close enough. The young woman looked up, her blue eyes flashing in the sunlight. For a moment Robert was afraid she would not recognize him but before he could fret for long, a smile soon appeared on her face, speaking of recognition.

"Lord Grantham?" she spoke, with just enough tone of inquiry in her voice to not give an air of too much familiarity.

Robert closed the distance and greeted the young lady properly with a bow. She responded with a curtsy.

"May I join you?" Robert asked promptly, offering the lady his arm. She cocked her head to the side and frowned slightly before she spoke.

"You are certainly welcome to, but I would not wish to put you out of your way. You were going towards the park?"

"A moment ago I was," Robert admitted, hoping he wasn't being too forward, "but I assure you I'm quite at leisure. I had actually intended to call on you but found that both you and your mother were out."

"Oh," Cora replied, her cheeks blushing quite becomingly. "I'm afraid Mama went to visit an old friend, and I decided to take advantage of the improved weather and take a little walk in the park."

A short silence followed as Robert tried to think of how to proceed. He had never courted a woman before and suddenly felt quite uncertain of how he was expected to go about it. He was relieved to be saved by Miss Levinson who, much to Robert's satisfaction, seemed to have a talent for leading a polite conversation.

"It's a beautiful park," she remarked with a smile. "I can imagine it only improving as the spring progresses."

"Indeed it will," Robert eagerly seized the offered subject. He paused for a moment, a thought occurring to him, and then continued: "I would be happy to show you around it one day, perhaps when the first flowers start pushing thought the ground. It should not be much longer now."

"I would like that very much," Miss Levinson replied softly, casting her eyes to the ground. The colour on her cheeks still seemed heightened but Robert could not be sure if it wasn't only the effects of the fresh air playing on them.

They began walking slowly towards the house and he found himself again at a loss for what to say. Their conversation had flowed easily enough during their dance a week before, but now that Robert had made his decision to actually court the young lady, he hardly knew where to look or how to express himself. He felt he ought to make his interest clear enough, but at the same time he did not wish to be too forward too soon.

"I hope your mother is well?" he finally settled on asking, realizing he should in fact already have inquired after Mrs. Levinson's well-being.

"She is very well, thank you," Miss Levinson replied, a small smile appearing on her lips again. Her moment of confusion seemed to be over. "She thrives on dry weather when it's easier for her to socialize."

"Then this past week must not have been easy for her," Robert remarked conversationally, encouraged by the lightness of his companion's tone. He could picture the formidable lady confined within four walls and was thankful he had not been present to share the imprisonment.

"It has not been particularly easy for me either," the young lady sighed. She gave Robert an arch look that implied her patience had indeed been tested during the week, and he chuckled at her expression, realizing their minds had been on the same track.

"Then I do understand your desire to take some air today," he replied with a smile.

"It certainly is nice to be situated near a park," she mused, taking a more serious tone again. "My mother is not a great walker but she allows me to take a turn by myself so long as I do not go too far."

"If you wish to walk further I would be happy to offer you my protection any time, while I am in town," Robert offered, seeing an opportunity to seek more of Miss Levinson's company. "Not that this part of town is in any way unsafe, but your mother is quite right not to let a young lady wander off too far unescorted."

Miss Levinson seemed to suppress a smile at his words and Robert wondered briefly if he had said something amiss to amuse her, but then she quickly grew serious again and thanked him sincerely for his kind offer.

"I take it you enjoy walking as well, Lord Grantham?" she asked after expressing her gratitude.

"Very much," Robert replied eagerly. "Although I have to admit I get around to it much less while I am in town."

"The grounds at Downton must be excellent for walking," the young lady remarked next and Robert was delighted to find that she remembered the name of his home he had so effusively talked about the week before.

"They are the best," he replied simply, his eyes glazing over as his mind briefly rested on his favourite paths he so dearly missed. Then, realizing how his words could be taken, he blushed slightly and added: "You probably think me very arrogant, but I only meant to say they are the best for me. "

"Oh no, I do not think you arrogant at all," Miss Levinson replied and the gentle tone of her voice drew Robert's eyes to hers for the first time since they had greeted each other. "Your love for your home does you nothing but credit," she added, her cheeks colouring slightly as he held her gaze.

Robert smiled. "I am glad you think that," he said. "I would hate it to be otherwise."

Their matching blue eyes bore into each other's for a moment longer until Miss Levinson finally looked away and Robert released a breath he had not realized he had been holding. He had to admit Miss Levinson's unusually pale eyes were beautiful indeed and he found himself caught completely off guard by the intensity of her gaze. Whether he liked it or not, Robert could hardly even tell, but nevertheless he was struck by an unexpected surge of disappointment when they soon afterwards arrived at the doorstep of the Levinsons' home.

Miss Levinson, too, seemed hesitant to part.

"Will you come in?" she asked. "You did say you intended to call."

Robert bowed slightly, judging it best not to tempt his fate lest the mother had returned. "I have left my card but I would not wish to trespass on your time any longer this morning," he said solemnly. "But I would wish to take you out for a walk again another day," he added in a softer tone.

Once again, she smiled at him. "It would be my pleasure, Lord Grantham," Miss Levinson replied.

"Good day, Miss Levinson," Robert said, bowing again. "And please take my regards to your mother. I am sorry to have missed her today," he added with a slight twinkle in his eye that he was not sure would even be appropriate for Miss Levinson to catch.

"I will be sure to take her your regards," she replied, the sunlight, or perhaps something else, again flashing in her eyes.

"Good day, Lord Grantham."


	6. Chapter 6

"No," Lady Grantham said simply. "Absolutely not, Robert."

"Mother, I am asking you to trust my judgment," Robert said, exasperated. He had known he would face opposition at home and had spent the best part of the past two weeks since deciding to court Miss Levinson trying to decide how to present his decision to his mother. After a fortnight in town and a couple of more walks with Miss Levinson, as well as a dinner at the home of a mutual acquaintance, he knew it was time to return to Downton, namely to check on the estate, but also to start preparing her mother for the possible addition to their family. A task, which Robert had to admit to himself, would not be an easy one.

"I am finding it difficult to trust the judgment of anyone who believes it a good idea to even consider marrying a foreigner, especially one from the new world," Violet spoke with unveiled contempt.

Robert sighed. "Trust me, mother, if the situation were different, I would not be considering it, but," he paused, glancing at his mother and lowering his voice in case any servants were nearby. "We will have to sell Downton Abbey by the end of the year if the issue of money is not solved."

His words were enough to silence Lady Grantham for a moment, but soon she opened her mouth to speak again.

"But really, Robert, an American?" she asked. "Would not a well-bred, rich English girl do? I could even concede to a decent gentleman's daughter, two or three generations removed from a fortune made in honourable trade."

From Violet this was a considerable concession, but Robert shook his head. It wasn't enough. "There are very few families in England who could boast the kind of fortune we need, and even fewer with daughters in a position to inherit such a significant amount of money."

"What about Miss Winton? Her family is both old and wealthy."

"It would be an intolerable option and you know it as well as I do," Robert sighed, rising from his seat and walking over to the window to cool down. "I am willing to sacrifice a great deal for Downton, and I certainly have no delusions about marrying for love, but I would like to be able to at least respect my future wife."

"The Honourable Miss Winton is a perfectly respectable young lady," Violet replied curtly, pursing her lips. "Certainly more so than some young American upstart with new money to flaunt with."

"Certainly she is respectable by the standards of society," Robert quickly amended his statement, "but she is also very ill-tempered, self-indulgent and vain. As an acquaintance I can respect her, but as a wife I could never value her. I do not have very high expectations for my marriage beyond securing the future of Downton, but as this decision does concern the rest of my life, I would at least like the woman I marry to be someone with whom it would not be torture to share my life with. "

Lady Grantham looked at her son for a moment before letting out a sigh that spoke of resignation, at least for the moment.

"It almost sounds as if you have already made your choice," she finally said.

"I have," Robert said simply. "At least I think I have," he added a little more uncertainly. "I had Stephens to make inquiries about her family's wealth and her portion of it and it is certainly more than I could wish to gain from marrying any English girl."

"And you think her more respectable than Miss Winton?"

"She is an amiable young woman with good manners. She certainly makes for better company than Miss Winton, and I have no reason to doubt her virtue."

"I suspect she is pretty?" Lady Grantham asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She is very pretty," Robert admitted, avoiding his mother's eyes, "but that has nothing to do with my choice, if that's what you think. All I ask for is a good dowry and a decent personality."

"So there is nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"No, my mind is quite made up," Robert replied, straightening his back. Standing up against his mother was never easy, but this was an issue where he felt he could not yield. He would do anything to save Downton but as long as he had even a small say in the matter, he would not want to pay the price of personal misery for it, perhaps for the rest of his life. Even if he never came to love Miss Levinson, his short acquaintance with her had at least been enough to assure him she was good company and, he had to admit, very pretty to look at.

* * *

"No call from the Earl today?" Mrs. Levinson asked as she returned to the drawing room after a rest in her own chamber. She had taken to calling her daughter's suitors simply by their titles.

"No, he's gone to Yorkshire," Cora replied, not lifting her eyes from her book.

"To Yorkshire?" Martha raised an eyebrow. "To stay?"

"To visit, I believe," Cora replied, colour rising to her cheeks as she still stared at her book, no longer able to discern the words written on it. "He has to see to his estate."

"Then why in Heaven's name have you not gone out?" her mother asked, sitting down beside her. "Just because one young man has been showing you a bit of attention does not mean you should abandon all your other acquaintances. The Marquis was very attentive to you at Lord Fitzpatrick's dinner last week and he is of far more consequence than this young Earl of yours."

Cora's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as she buried her face behind the pages of her book.

"He is not my Earl," she muttered. Then, recovering a little, she added with more conviction: "And Mama, I really do not like The Marquis of Greenborough. He is so full of himself."

"He will be the Duke of Blenheim one day," Mrs. Levinson said, lifting Cora's chin so she could meet her eyes. "He could make you a Duchess."

When Cora did not reply, her mother shook her head.

"But I see you would rather be a Countess," she sighed.

"What is wrong with being a Countess?" Cora asked more sharply than she had intended. She bit her tongue not to say more.

"Nothing," Martha replied with a shrug. She studied her daughter's face for a moment, then let out another sigh and stood up. "Nothing at all, my dear," she said before walking out of the room, shaking her head to herself. Who was she, after all, to meddle in the matters of the heart? A title was a title and that was all she and Mr. Levinson had agreed to before setting off to Europe.

"But be a dear and at least try give the others a chance too," she said before stepping out of the room. "Who knows how serious this Earl even is with his intentions."


	7. Chapter 7

Robert did not manage to see Miss Levinson again until two weeks later at a dinner given by the Marquis of Greenborough, hosted by his sister Lady Charlotte. It was not a soiree where he would have expected to encounter the Levinsons, or indeed anyone outside of the highest aristocracy, but it very soon became apparent to Robert, by the marked attention given to Miss Levinson by both the brother and the sister, that he was not alone in seeking to improve his family's monetary situation with an advantageous marriage. The discovery was unsettling to say the least, especially as Robert had to admit he could not compete with the future title of his rival.

His thoughts turned downright gloomy as he stood contemplating the infuriatingly handsome young Marquis and everything he possessed and could offer to Miss Levinson. He had just become adjusted to the idea of courting an American heiress and had been quite settled on the thought of Miss Levinson being the one whose hand he would seek, so the prospect of possibly having to pick someone else did not appeal to him at all. With a sigh Robert thought briefly of Miss Elizabeth Strauss, only to be reminded of how poorly she could stand any comparison to Miss Cora Levinson.

"You look as though you're not enjoying the party, Lord Grantham."

Robert was startled to hear himself addressed. His eyes had been fixed on the Marquis and he had lost sight of everything else occurring around him, including the fact that the very object of his thoughts had just crossed the room to speak to him.

"Miss Levinson," he greeted her, a little flushed. "I am so sorry I did not notice you. I mean, I had noticed you earlier but I had intended to…" he trailed off, afraid he was now making a complete fool of himself.

"Well, I am glad I'm not completely invisible," she replied playfully.

"I assure you nothing could be further from the truth," Robert replied with a smile as he took in the sight of her. She did look strikingly beautiful in her evening gown and her eyes seemed to positively sparkle in the light of the many candles in the room. "I don't know how anyone could not notice you."

"Unless of course they were too busy staring disapprovingly at Lord Greenborough instead," Miss Levinson replied coyly.

Robert blushed. He could only hope that the entire room had not seen the murderous glances he had, without even realizing it, been directing at his rival.

"I'm afraid you must have caught me lost in my thoughts," he made a vain attempt to excuse himself. "If my eyes were on the Marquis, it was purely a coincidence and I was not aware of it."

Miss Levinson smiled and Robert could not be sure if she had bought his explanation, but at least she had the courtesy to not press him further. He decided to take the opportunity to do some inquiring of his own instead.

"I was not aware you were acquainted with Lord Greenborough," he said as nonchalantly as he was able to. "Or perhaps it is Lady Charlotte you are friends with?"

Robert thought he could detect a hint of vexation on Miss Levinson's face as he spoke and she remained silent for a moment after he had finished.

"We were introduced almost as soon as I arrived in London and I have been in their company a few times since," she eventually replied just before Robert had been prepared to repeat his question in case she had not heard him properly. "But I would not say that any friendships have been formed," Miss Levinson added, glancing then towards her mother who Robert could now see was standing not too far from them. The older woman appeared to be observing their conversation quite intently.

Catching Mrs. Levinson's eye, Robert gave a short bow in her direction to acknowledge the acquaintance and then turned back to the daughter.

"They seem to be paying you a great deal of attention," he said, referring again to the Marquis and his sister.

"They have been very kind," Miss Levinson replied curtly and Robert could not help observing that the smile gracing her lips seemed a little strained. He wondered if it was because of him or the Marquis.

"I hope I'm not prying too much," he hastened to say in case it were his inquiries that she found offensive.

"I doubt there is much you could pry about that isn't already plain for the world to see," Miss Levinson replied wryly. Robert looked at her questioningly.

"I only mean that the whole room has probably seen what I assume you are trying so discreetly to inquire about – that Lord Greenborough is only paying attention to me because of my inheritance, and that I'm only accepting his attentions because of his title."

"I did not mean to imply that…" Robert began to reply, blushing at the thought of his own intentions, but he was interrupted by the announcement of dinner and the arrival of the Marquis himself to lead the lady to her seat at the table. Miss Levinson could only cast an apologetic look in Robert's direction before she was swept away while he was left alone to make his own way to the dining room.

To make matters worse, Robert soon enough found himself seated next to Mrs. Levinson at the dinner table while her daughter had been placed almost as far from him as possible right next to the Lord Greenborough at the other end of the table.

"It will be a good match," he was startled to hear Mrs. Levinson's voice from his left as he sat observing the two.

"I'm afraid I do not understand what you mean," Robert replied, turning his attention reluctantly to his dinner partner.

"I was not born yesterday, my dear Lord Grantham," Mrs. Levinson replied. "I have seen how your eyes have followed my daughter this evening."

"I-I…have not," Robert stammered. Again he had not realized how obvious he had been. "I mean…"

"I know you need her money," Mrs. Levinson continued bluntly, "as does the Marquis. But if my daughter is to exchange her fortune for a title, why should I let her settle for an Earl if she can have a future Duke?"

Robert felt his cheeks blushing from embarrassment at such a subject being discussed so openly at dinner, but he met Mrs. Levinson's gaze and, lowering his voice said: "And is that choice yours or hers to make?"

Mrs. Levinson smiled unexpectedly. "That is a good question," she said, taking a sip of wine. "I will say that I intend to encourage her in the direction I feel will benefit her the most, but she will not be forced into marriage against her will. Be it him or you who is asking."

Robert remained silent, contemplating the older woman's words.

"If she prefers you, there is nothing I can do about it," she continued after a moment. "But I won't pretend that I wouldn't prefer to see my daughter marry a future Duke."

"But I do have your permission to court her?" Robert asked, choosing to ignore the last part of her speech.

Mrs. Levinson shrugged. "There are worse things than being courted by an Earl, I'm sure," she said with a hint of a smile.

"Indeed," Robert said, feeling a little offended by her dismissive tone. "As the Countess of Grantham your daughter would have all the privileges of the highest rank and society. She would want for nothing."

"I have no doubt about that," Mrs. Levinson said. "And if you could tell me you wanted to marry her for who she is instead of for what she has, I would not be sorry at all if she happened to choose you."

This was an assurance that Robert could not, in good conscience, give to Mrs. Levinson.

"That is a wish that does you credit, I'm sure," he settled for saying before allowing his gaze to wander back to the subject of their discussion.

Miss Levinson did not look enthralled by Lord Greenborough's company. In fact, she seemed to be pushing food around on her plate while only half attending to the Marquis's conversation. Robert was not a particularly vain man, but even he had to admit she had appeared much more attentive while talking to himself. If she was not as set as her mother on the title of a Duchess, perhaps there was hope for him still.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N **I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. Other story ideas and prompts came up, demanding to be written, but I always kept this story in the back of my mind because I absolutely wanted to continue and finish it. So I'm continuing, even if it's just for my own amusement. :)_

* * *

The Marquis of Greenborough was not an unattractive man. If he had been less vain and pompous, he might even have been a tolerable candidate for a husband, but despite his lucrative title and the wishes it inspired in her mother, Cora found it difficult to encourage or even tolerate his attentions.

Lost in her own musings, she simply smiled complacently as the Marquis, who had come to pay a visit two days after the dinner he had given, went on about a haircut he was planning to get later in the afternoon and a fine looking set of cufflinks he had seen in the window of some shop earlier.

Cora knew perfectly well, of course, what was expected of her. She had been 15 years old when her mother had sat her down and told her of the plans she and her father had made for her. As her brother would inherit the family business, Cora's share of the fortune would have to be invested in securing an advantageous marriage – one that would improve not only her own status but, by association, that of the whole family. In short, it would fall on Cora to help wash away the stigma of new money that even in America was still frowned upon by those whose wealth had been accumulated over a longer period of time.

Now, at the age of 19, she had but one goal: marry an English aristocrat and do it soon, because her mother, despite her desire to have her daughter settled with a handsome title in England, was herself actually anxious to return home. Cora could not really blame her for it either, because where Cora herself had been born to wealth and enjoyed the level of upbringing it had secured, her mother came from a very different background and had never felt comfortable in the finery of the English society. On the outside she simply scorned it, but Cora knew that deeper inside there was insecurity. Martha Levinson would rather scorn than be scorned.

Her mind thus engaged, Cora had not attended to Lord Greenborough's conversation for some time when suddenly a familiar name made her look up with piqued interest.

"And then Lord Grantham said it was a fine horse and that it reminded him of his own steed," the Marquis finished, seemingly very pleased with himself.

Cora had no recollection of how the Marquis's soliloquy had veered from cufflinks to horses but her interest in the conversation had been restored.

"Lord Grantham?" she ventured to inquire, her pulse quickening slightly.

"Oh he is a fine fellow," the Marquis said, not registering the flush of colour that had appeared on Cora's cheeks. "Spends most of his time in the country, but we often move in the same society while in London. You probably don't know him at all," he added dismissively.

"We have been introduced," Cora replied softly.

"Have you indeed?" The Marquis appeared a little rebuffed.

"We met at Lady Cotworth's ball some weeks ago," Cora replied, picking up her needlework to busy herself with. "I believe you were not present that time, but you must remember he was also at your own dinner but two days ago."

"Indeed I had quite forgotten that Lord Grantham was a guest on Tuesday. I daresay he hardly spoke to me at all," Lord Greenborough replied with a shrug. "As for Lady Cotworth's ball, I was probably in the country at the time. I can't say I'm sorry to have missed it as balls can be quite tiresome," he concluded after some reflection when Cora would not continue the discussion.

"I like balls," she replied curtly when it was clear she would have to say something, but she did not look up from her needlework.

"Of course, young women often do," her companion replied in a patronizing tone. "Personally, I prefer more intimate gatherings," he added, leaning forward a little bit.

Cora could only respond with a nod of her head, accompanied with a forced smile.

To her relief, the visit did not last for much longer after this conversation. Once the Marquis had veered the discussion back to himself for another ten minutes, he finally took his leave after making a promise of another visit in the near future.

As soon as he was gone, Cora sighed. The idea of marrying an English aristocrat had sounded exciting enough to a 15-year-old, but the reality of it was not quite what she had imagined. At least not in the case of Lord Greenborough who, despite his handsome appearance, was nothing like the prince charming she had once dreamed of.

* * *

In another part of town, Robert took a seat next to his friend Sir Henry at the gentlemen's club they both were members of. The dinner at Lord Greenborough's had given him much to think about it and he felt he could use some advice on how to proceed. While he had obtained Mrs. Levinson's permission to formally court her daughter, what were his realistic chances of competing against a future Duke?

Sir Henry looked at Robert with some amusement as his friend recounted the events of the dinner, including his conversation with Mrs. Levinson.

"My, you are going to have a lovely mother-in-law," he commented as soon as Robert had finished.

"Well, it's not so certain that I will have her for a mother-in-law," Robert sighed, taking a sip of his scotch. "Did you not hear what I told you about Lord Greenborough?"

"And who in their right mind would marry Greenborough if they can have you?"

Robert's head shot up. He had hardly considered his personal charms as a factor in the matter. Not many people of sense liked Lord Greenborough, of course, but liking someone was hardly a requirement anymore when seeking a suitable marriage.

"I think many would…" Robert began, but Sir Henry lifted up his hand to silence him.

"Since you asked for my opinion, I will tell you," he interrupted, smirking at his friend. "I think it's quite obvious that Miss Levinson prefers you."

Robert blinked, rather surprised by the conviction in Sir Henry's voice.

"Your modesty compared to Lord Greenborough's is probably one of the reasons why that is," his friend continued when Robert still looked perplexed. "But surely even you must have thought something of the fact that, despite being engaged by Lord Greenborough's attentions, she specifically singled you out and came to talk you instead?"

"Well…" Robert thought back to the occasion, trying to recall every word Miss Levinson had said. At the time, he certainly had thought nothing of her approaching him. He had assumed she had simply been passing him by and thought it the polite thing to say hello, but it was true that only moments before she had been talking to Lord Greenborough.

"Really, Robert, you don't know much about women if you think she just came to greet you out of politeness," Sir Henry grinned. "She would have had no reason to do so if her sights were already set on Lord Greenborough."

"Do you really think so?" Robert asked, hopefully.

"I'm certain of it," Sir Henry replied without any hesitation. "She may well be pressured by her mother to pick the future Duke, but if you can get to her before him I would say you will have a very good chance of making her your wife…If that really is what you want," he added after a short pause.

"It is," Robert replied.

"I take it she pleases you more than Miss Winton then?"

"I think a cactus would please me more than Miss Winton," Robert sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Sir Henry chuckled. "You are harsh, my friend."

"Perhaps that was uncalled for," Robert amended. "But really, if I must marry for money, I would at least be glad of the luxury of at least being able to choose an amiable young woman such as Miss Levinson."

"But surely Miss Levinson is not the only amiable young woman in London?" Sir Henry prodded, his eyes twinkling.

Robert groaned. "You have no idea how difficult it is," he replied. "There are not that many heiresses who have enough money, and out of the ones I've met Miss Levinson seems the most suitable."

"So you like her the most?"

"Well, yes, if that's how you want to put it," Robert sighed. "But I'm not in love with her if that's what you're so subtly trying to suggest. I would simply hate to have to start this all over again with someone else now that I've already called on her and started getting used to the idea of possibly marrying her."

"Oh Robert, old man, you really could try to think more romantically sometimes."

"Well, I see you're already thinking romantically enough for both of us," Robert replied dryly, downing his remaining scotch. "I can't afford it myself until I've secured a fortune."


End file.
